Ideal Weight

[Nature_is_Yummy!]

I was already thin when I "went raw" a couple weeks ago. And I just keep losing weight though. I am almost to the "underweight" point, according to BMI. (I think right now my BMI is around 19) ... So I have mixed feelings about if this is healthy or not.

*I trust the raw diet, and I rationalize that if eating better is making me thin, than it's gotta be alright. I shouldn't incur any health problems, but I guess I'll be on the look-out.

*But what am I going to say when people think I'm anorexic!? Especially the fact that I shy away from conventional foods. I can tell them I eat 5 lbs. of fresh fruits and veggies every day, but that still would be suspicious, just the fact that I am eating raw.

*Furthermore... I am full-time breastfeeding my son. That will turn heads even more.

So far I only have one person who is "concerned" about me. She thinks I am too thin. (Frankly, she's pretty fat herself) Why do people make these remarks!! Well I am just dreading when other people start saying things.

What do you think?

I heard somewhere that on the raw diet, you lose at first, and then you gain some? Who has experience with this? And I'd like to know how thin you got. (My ribs are showing through my back!) If anyone has personal experience, I'd like a reply! Or even a personal e-mail. Thanks a lot!

[lavendarJ]

Try not to worry about what most people say. I say that because simply, we can't please everyone all the time or even most of the time... people are always quick to tell me about my weight gain and weight loss (either too thick or looking like you losing too much - the constant comments I hear)...I think that your transition to raw is just that you know what I mean, transitions are full of changes, you weight will probably balance out eventually, just make sure your hydrated and eating enough of a balance (fruits veggies, grains protein, etc.) ... you know when you eat healthy you can eat more than you on the SAD. You are breast-feeding so make sure your getting enough nutrition to sustain your own energy and to pass on to baby. Listen to your body. I can't speak from your experience because I haven't had the experience of being underweight and so this post is just my humble opinion... The other posters will give you some great insights I'm sure!

Happy Monday :)

[Rawkinlocs]

I can attest to the get thinner then gain to your ideal weight issue!

Yes, it is true that you will shed your "false body" and rebuild again.
When I very first went raw, my weight was around 135/140. I dropped down (don't remember the time-frame) to about 122 and some days I was 120. I'm 5'4" and that is the smallest I had ever been in my adult life. All my inlaws were telling me I was TOO small.

After a few months or so, I began to gain and now I am at what I feel is my BODY'S ideal weight which is 125 that sometimes goes to 128 depending on what I'm eating.

Here are some things to consider:

1. BMI charts, etc. are based on SAD-eating society
2. What most people think is an "ideal weight" for humans really isn't. Kinda like my grandmother who thinks babies should be fat and you shouldn't be able to tell their wrist from their hand from their arm...it should all be so chunky that it all just sorta blends together. So it is with our society...you are supposed to look a certain way.
3. Being thin and being emaciated are too different things. I see people who I KNOW are emaciated and unhealthy, not just due to their size, but also due to how they look in the face and eyes.
4. There are VERY thin people on a SAD as well as on a raw diet. Sometimes people's metabolism is just high.

But all-in-all, make sure you're eating enough and eating a nice variety of raw foods. Give your body time to adjust and eat your raw fats as well (avocados, nuts, seeds)

[Nature_is_Yummy!]

Thanks, both of you! Yeah, I know I shouldn't worry about what other people say. Trust me, I don't let it affect my convictions (I had a homebirth against everyone I know's strong opinion...which of course turned out perfectly). But it does affect me anyway... You know, comments just get annoying. And I wish more people saw eye-to-eye with me. (Hey, that's what this site is for! And so far, I am loving it!)

I agree that the medical field's growth charts, norms, etc. can be bogus sometimes. I think that was a good comment about being able to tell the difference between thin & emaciated. I hope my face looks healthy. Actually it's already looking better than before. Old scars are clearing up!

Oh yes, I eat my daily avocado. And handful of nuts! Don't worry.

P.S. It's funny when people ask me, "Wow, How did you lose your weight?" and then I tell them to eat more veggies and they're like, nevermind! I'll do weight watchers. LOL.

[Ginger]

There's no option for me! I was overweight & kept gaining on raw so I got angry & gave up! I still felt better though & will be going raw again soon as I can afford to! I finally lost some weight this month, almost 15 pounds, eating SAD but not eating meat very often & trying to eat as much organic as I can.

[Nature_is_Yummy!]

RawVeganMom: I tried to e-mail you but it didn't work...

"First of all, you're in Vegas? Awesome! I grew up there, it's my home. I am in OR now but I am visiting vegas in a couple weeks. Anyway, that is so crazy that you gained weight on raw. Why do you think that is?? Did you eat too many fats maybe? Oh well. I think it's great that you are losing on a vegetarian diet. That's pretty much how I lost my weight (60 lbs in the passed 6 months). I knew for a long time that it wasn't right for us to eat animals/dairy, and finally I followed my own beliefs. You will definitely lose weight with higher proportion plant foods (uncooked even better) and less animal. Of course you know that now!! I just wish everybody could see that simple truth. All my friends are struggling with diets, but they're so addicted to animals that they can't see the truth staring them in the face. "

you can chat with me on yahoo... Rjones501 is my sn. See ya!

[ljannise]

*points to siggy*

[PhoeniX]

I have heard that some people can lose weight because their body is not able to correctly absorb the nutrients from the food. If this is a problem then make sure to have a green drink everyday!

[Fascistpanties]

I think that this lifestyle needs to include muscle bulding.....and eating a bunch. Weight training should make you gain a little!

[Beanie]

I started raw very underweight and was able to maintain until lately. But that has nothing to do with raw, just had to restrict my food budget due to financial problems. But you CAN go raw and maintain your weight or gain! Your body will strive to maintain its ideal weight when you go raw. Just listen to it and don't feel bad about eating larger volumes. You will need to do that!

[aromaticwings]

There's no option for me! I was overweight & kept gaining on raw so I got angry & gave up! I still felt better though & will be going raw again soon as I can afford to! I finally lost some weight this month, almost 15 pounds, eating SAD but not eating meat very often & trying to eat as much organic as I can.
I have read that the reason some gain weight is because...when we start eating raw we are finally getting the nutrients our body needs... Also the amount of water we need... Drinking water does not give us the water our body needs.... By eating raw foods with it's water content..it gives the body enough water to be able to have the water to surround the fat cells...and diluting toxins in our systems... when it is finished with this work it will let it go.. get rid of it... that is one reason we shouldn't watch a scale... because the body will rid itself of the toxins and fats when IT is ready in IT"S own time.. :D

Kind of like a paper towel affect but from the inside out... getting rid of one problem at a time.. comes off slowly but will come off.. pretty soon you forget what you were trying to do and the next thing you know you are at your proper body weight....

[greeninlosangeles]

I lost over 20 pounds(5'6, 125- on my scale 117, but doctors always show more, so my guess is 125), and I think I look fine, but the funny thing is that other people start telling me that I am getting too thin, even though some of them are even thinner than me! I am size 6, which is very normal size, and some of these people are 2 or 4 and are worrying about me. I think it is just the attitude, and in some cases jealousy!

[rawpriestess]

I was (and still am) way over weight, and have lost and gained and lost and gained, but now I'm 100% raw again, and I am losing tons of weight.

[Ginger]

Hi Nature_is_Yummy! My email is rawveganmom@rawfoods.com & my yahoo is cookedfoodispoison but i'm rarely ever on it lol! :)

[theresaann]

I freaked out yesterday because I thought I went from a size 12 to an 8 in about 5 weeks but went to a clothes store yesterday and was NOT an 8-just a 10. I felt like I had been delusional. I had to work pretty hard to not be discouraged. IN addition to that, I've got candida symptoms pretty severe, worse than before raw. it's frustrating. It makes me think raw isn't "working" for me.

Then I came home and meditated about it, and saw that whatever my body is doing or not doing is really so much more a function of who I am BEING, or my thinking, than even what I'm doing. For me I hold onto the weight and create candida because of how i"m thinking. Yes, sure, all that extra fruit in my diet is exacerbating the candida, but it's not the fruit that's CAUSING it.

So really getting present to what's going on with me, I realized there are just things I have to forgive myself for, namely making up that i am not good enough in whatever ways.....which I'm doing. one step at a time.

why does my thinking create candida overgrowth? here's what I heard.

When I have fear based thoughts, self judgemental thoughts, I deny lifeforce to my body. when I deny lifeforce to my body, the cells die off more and a lower oxygen, acidic environment is created. Candida shows up on the "decaying matter" that results. (flies are attracted to the garbage, the flies don't CREATE the garbage). wow. it's a paradigm shifter, that's for sure.....

[Nature_is_Yummy!]

Teresaann, you're right. I am reading the book "Spiritual Nutrition," highly recommend it! I love all that cosmic, metaphysical stuff !:)

[surfergrrl]

hi, debbie. can you recall where you read that information regarding our bodies holding onto weight, water, etc for awhile. i would be very interested in reading up on that. i am finding weight gain on raw and need some data to direct me.
thanks,
julie

[swingbolder]

I heard somewhere that on the raw diet, you lose at first, and then you gain some? Who has experience with this?

That happened to me. I started out at about 130, went down rapidly to 113 -- which had everyone clucking and telling me I was too skinny -- then went back to a very healthy and slender 120 or so, mostly fluctuating between 118 and 123 depending on the time of the month.

I've recently been juice fasting and went down to 109, but I'm not panicking bc I know from experience I will gain it back now that I've started eating again. As long as you're eating a variety of foods and you feel healthy, there's really nothing to worry about. The hard part is just dealing with those comments. The one that totally left me with my mouth hanging open was my extremely obese cousin, when she told me I was "really too skinny. . . are you sick?"

Practice some answers beforehand so that when you receive these types of comments, they won't disarm you.